How the scale is used in architecture and urban planning
Created a crossword
Defined your favorite scale to work on.
Activities
Human scale means "of a scale comparable to a human being".
Just so you know the word scale means a number of things and although in this lesson we want to know about scale in the architectural concept, we will also learn some other meaning for this word.
A number of characteristic physical quantities can be associated with the human body, the human mind, and the preservation of human life. Such as:
♣Distance: one to two meters (human arm's reach, stride, height)
♣Attention span: seconds to hours
♣Lifespan: approximately seventy years
♣Mass: kilogram’s
♣Force: Newton’s
♣Pressure: one standard atmosphere ♣Temperature: around 300 K (room temperature)
||======
Science vs. human scale
Many of the objects of scientific interest in the universe are much larger than human scale (stars, galaxies) or much smaller than human scale (molecules, atoms, subatomic particles). Similarly, many time periods studied in science involve time scales much greater than human timescales (geological and cosmological time scales) or much shorter than human timescales (atomic and subatomic events).
Mathematicians and scientists use very large and small numbers to describe physical quantities, and have created even larger and smaller numbers for theoretical purposes.
After reading create a page on your wiki called "Activities on scale" to do the following exercises:
Answer these questions:
What do you thin scale means?
What do you think architects use the scale for?
How is it that scale affects our daily life?
Now create a mindmap linking what you learned. (for this you can use gliffy).
Search a picture in the internet that has to do with scale and explain why you chose it
Now read this information about scale involved in architecture
Scale in architecture
Humans interact with their environments based on their physical dimensions, capabilities and limits. The field of anthropometrics (human measurement) has unanswered questions, but it's still true that human physical characteristics are fairly predictable and objectively measurable. Buildings scaled to human physical capabilities have steps, doorways, railings, work surfaces, seating, shelves, fixtures, walking distances, and other features that fit well to the average person.
Humans also interact with their environments based on their sensory capabilities. The fields of human perception systems, like perceptual psychology and cognitive psychologu, are not exact sciences, because human information processing is not a purely physical act, and because perception is affected by cultural factors, personal preferences, experiences, and expectations. So human scale in architecture can also describe buildings with sightlines, acoustic properties, task lighting, ambient lighting, and spatial grammar that fit well with human senses. However, one important caveat is that human perceptions are always going to be less predictable and less measurable than physical dimensions.
Human scale in architecture is deliberately violated:
For monumental effect. Buildings, statues, and memorials are constructed in a scale larger than life as a social/cultural signal that the subject matter is also larger than life. The extreme example is the Rodina statue in Volgograd (Stalingrad).
For aesthetic effect. Many architects, particularly in the Modernist movement, design buildings that prioritize structural purity and clarity of form over concessions to human scale. This became the dominant American architectural style for decades. Some notable examples among many are Henry Cobb's John Hancock Tower in Boston.
To serve automotive scale. Commercial buildings that are designed to be legible from roadways assume a radically different shape. The human eye can distinguish about 3 objects or features per second. A pedestrian steadily walking along a 100-foot (30-meter) length of department store can perceive about 68 features; a driver passing the same frontage at 30 mph (13 m/s or 44 ft/s) can perceive about six or seven features. Auto-scale buildings tend to be smooth and shallow, readable at a glance, simplified, presented outward, and with signage with bigger letters and fewer words. This urban form is traceable back to the innovations of developer A. W. Ross along Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles in 1920.
Activities:
Make a mindmap or crossword explaining what you understood about human scale in architecture and post it on your wiki.
Click on one of the next links, explore the page, learn about it and then write a paragraph on your wiki explaining which one is your favorite type of scale to work on and why.
Scale
Objectives:
this week you'll:
Activities
Human scale means "of a scale comparable to a human being".
Just so you know the word scale means a number of things and although in this lesson we want to know about scale in the architectural concept, we will also learn some other meaning for this word.
A number of characteristic physical quantities can be associated with the human body, the human mind, and the preservation of human life. Such as:
♣ Distance: one to two meters (human arm's reach, stride, height)
♣ Attention span: seconds to hours
♣ Lifespan: approximately seventy years
♣ Mass: kilogram’s
♣ Force: Newton’s
♣ Pressure: one standard atmosphere♣ Temperature: around 300 K (room temperature)
||======
Science vs. human scale
Many of the objects of scientific interest in the universe are much larger than human scale (stars, galaxies) or much smaller than human scale (molecules, atoms, subatomic particles). Similarly, many time periods studied in science involve time scales much greater than human timescales (geological and cosmological time scales) or much shorter than human timescales (atomic and subatomic events).
Mathematicians and scientists use very large and small numbers to describe physical quantities, and have created even larger and smaller numbers for theoretical purposes.
After reading create a page on your wiki called "Activities on scale" to do the following exercises:
Now read this information about scale involved in architecture
Scale in architecture
Humans interact with their environments based on their physical dimensions, capabilities and limits. The field of anthropometrics (human measurement) has unanswered questions, but it's still true that human physical characteristics are fairly predictable and objectively measurable. Buildings scaled to human physical capabilities have steps, doorways, railings, work surfaces, seating, shelves, fixtures, walking distances, and other features that fit well to the average person.
Humans also interact with their environments based on their sensory capabilities. The fields of human perception systems, like perceptual psychology and cognitive psychologu, are not exact sciences, because human information processing is not a purely physical act, and because perception is affected by cultural factors, personal preferences, experiences, and expectations. So human scale in architecture can also describe buildings with sightlines, acoustic properties, task lighting, ambient lighting, and spatial grammar that fit well with human senses. However, one important caveat is that human perceptions are always going to be less predictable and less measurable than physical dimensions.
Human scale in architecture is deliberately violated:
Activities:
Links:
http://theartblog.org/2009/04/the-human-scale-of-recycling-in-india/
http://www.humanscale.com/